Inflation apparatus for tubeless tire
AssigneeThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
InventorsMark L. Bonko, Loran C. Lopp, Jr., Sandy Ochoa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus (10) for inflating larger tubeless tires (80), such as those utilized on farm tractors, includes a segmented manifold (104) which is expandable radially to accommodate different sizes of tires. The segmented manifold (104) includes outlet holes (36) from which pressurized gas may exit to inflate the tire (80). The holes (36) have centerlines which make angles generally between 40.degree. and 75.degree. with a plane containing the manifold (104). The angled holes (36) direct the pressurized gases exiting the manifold in optimum directions to expand the tire sidewall against the wheel flange (92) to assist in sealing the tire beads against the wheel (82).
Claims19
An apparatus for inflating tubeless tires on a wheel, said apparatus comprising:
- a first annular manifold generally lying in a first center plane, the manifold having an inlet and a plurality of outlets therein, the outlets being arranged into a first row and a second row, each of the outlets of the first row having a centerline making a first angle between 40.degree. and 50.degree. with the first center plane, each of the outlets of the second row having a centerline making a second angle between 50.degree. and 60.degree. with the first center plane.
An apparatus for inflating tubeless tires on a wheel, said apparatus comprising:
- a first annular manifold generally lying in a first center plane, the manifold having an inlet and a plurality of outlets, one of the outlets having a centerline making an angle between 40.degree. and 75.degree. with the first center plane;
- and,
- a second annular manifold, the second annular manifold being concentrically outward of the first annular manifold, the second annular manifold generally lying in a second center plane, the second annular manifold having an inlet and a plurality of outlets, one of the outlets having a centerline which makes an angle between 35.degree. and 65.degree. with the second center plane.
An apparatus for inflating tubeless tires on a wheel, said apparatus comprising:
- a first annular manifold having a first center plane, an inlet and a plurality of outlets, one of the outlets having a centerline making an angle between 40.degree. and 75.degree. with the first center plane;
- a second annular manifold, the second annular manifold being concentrically outward of the first annular manifold, the second annular manifold having a second center plane, an inlet and a plurality of outlets, one of the outlets having a centerline making an angle between 35.degree. and 65.degree. with the second center plane;
- a third annular manifold, the third annular manifold being concentrically outward of the first and second annular manifolds, the third annular manifold having a third center plane, an inlet and a plurality of outlets, one of the outlets having a centerline making an angle between 35.degree. and 55.degree. with the third center plane;
- the outlets in the first, second and third annular manifold are configured into first, second and third rows of holes, the holes in the first and third rows are staggered from the holes in the second row, the holes in the second row are between 2 and 4 inches apart and the holes in the first and third rows are between 5 inches and 7 inches apart, the holes having a diameter between 0.125 inches and 0.5 inches;
- a frame, the frame being attached to the first manifold;
- a support member, the support member being connected to the first and second manifold and positioning the second manifold away from the frame;
- and,
- a centering block, the centering block being connected to the frame and the first manifold and positioning the first manifold relative to an associated tire so that an axis of the first manifold is aligned with an axis of the associated tire.
An apparatus for inflating tubeless tires on a wheel, said apparatus comprising:
- a manifold for passing pressurized gas therethrough, the manifold comprising at least two arcuate segments, each arcuate segment having a plurality of holes therein, the holes being arranged into first and second rows, the centerlines of holes in the first row making a first angle between 45.degree. and 55.degree. with a plane containing the manifold and the centerlines of the holes in the second row making a second angle between 50.degree. and 60.degree. with the plane containing the manifold.
An apparatus for inflating tubeless tires on a wheel comprising:
- a center ring;
- a plurality of slides;
- the slides being attached to the center ring and radiating outwardly therefrom;
- an inlet manifold, the inlet manifold having a first opening therein for the intake of pressurized gas;
- a plurality of arcuate segments lying in a plane, each of the arcuate segments having a plurality of holes therein for expelling pressurized gas, each of the segments being slidably attached to one of the slides;
- and,
- a plurality of hoses, each of said hoses being attached at one end to the inlet manifold and attached at the other end to one of the arcuate segments, the hoses being able to transfer pressurized gas from the inlet manifold to the arcuate segments.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.